Satellite distributed high speed internet access

ABSTRACT

A satellite distributed high-speed Internet “Hotspot” enables wireless and hardwired, satellite distributed Internet access for anyone with a PC or other web-ready device (wireless ready or cabled) and a valid credit card or prepaid coupon. The Hotspots can be located anywhere there is 120 volt electricity available or access to the sun for a solar panel and enough space to house the transceiver and mount a satellite dish. Upon connecting to the Hotspot, the user is directed to a remote server for log-on and validation of the user&#39;s account. During validation, the remote server verifies that prepaid access time remains in the user&#39;s account. Upon validation, the user may browse the web until the prepaid access time runs out. Alternatively, an account may be set up on a “continue until canceled” basis, wherein the user&#39;s credit card will be charged for the amount of time used during each session.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of provisional application Ser. No.60/507,022, filed Sep. 29, 2003, provisional application Ser. No.60/517,044, filed Nov. 4, 2003, and provisional application Ser. No.60/523,061, filed Nov. 18, 2003.

BACKGROUND

The continued development of high speed wireless Internet connectionspermitting the transceiving of real time information has greatlyincreased the volume and efficiency of work, both commercial andpersonal, that can be accomplished. This efficiency saves both time andmoney for its users and is quickly becoming a necessary part of ouroverall telecommunications infrastructure.

This efficiency however, is not easily accessible unless one has awireless ready PC, and their own satellite dish and transceiver or islocated in or near a city with providers who sell access subscriptionsto their equipment. Anyone in transit, such as salesmen, executives,truckers and private individuals has virtually no access whiletraveling, especially in rural areas. Even in populated areas, one mustfind a hard-wired commercial access point to get to the Internet. Thisis time consuming, costly and severely limits the benefits of theInternet in most areas of the country.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides rural “Hotspots” (such as Wi-Fi access,for example) to enable wireless and hardwired, satellite distributedInternet access for anyone with a PC or other web-ready device (wirelessready or cabled) and a valid credit card. The “Hotspots” can be locatedanywhere there is 120 volt electricity available or access to the sunfor a solar panel and enough space to house the transceiver and mount asatellite dish. These “Hotspots” would best be located in areas thatexperience high volume transient traffic, such as rest areas,restaurants, truck stops, rural hotels, conference centers, motels andstate park lodges. A Hotspot may allow access to users with cableddevices, wireless devices, or both.

Accordingly, it is a first aspect of the present invention to provide amethod for establishing and operating an Internet Hotspot that includesthe steps of: providing a satellite dish communicating with the Internetvia data link with a satellite; providing at least one routeroperatively coupled to the satellite dish; installing the satellite dishand router in a rural location, which experiences a relatively highvolume of transient traffic; and allowing a user to access the Internetat the rural location by connecting a user's web-ready device to theInternet via the router and satellite dish. In a more detailedembodiment, the router includes at least one jack to which a web-readydevice may be connected via a cable. In a further detailed embodimentthe method further includes a step of providing a subscriber access unitoperatively coupled between the satellite dish and the router, where auser opens a subscription account via a remote server before the user isenabled to access other websites. Alternately, a user purchases aquantity of subscription-based access time using a credit card via theremote server before the user is enabled to access other websites. Thesubscription-based access time may be purchased in a definite quantity,or the subscription-based access time may be purchased on a “continueduntil canceled” basis. The credit card billing may performed by anexisting merchant service and the existing merchant service may bereciprocal with other Internet subscription providers nationwide.Optionally, a user's account status is first authenticated by the remoteserver each time the user establishes a connection with the Hotspotbefore the user is enabled to access other websites. This authenticationof the user's account is performed by a subscriber merchant service.

In an alternate detailed embodiment of the first aspect of the presentinvention, the connecting step includes a step of communicating theuser's web-ready device to the router via a wireless connection.Further, a plurality of users can simultaneously access the Internet bycommunicating wireless web-ready devices with the router. Further, themethod may include a step of operatively coupling a subscriber accessbetween the satellite dish and the router, where a user opens asubscription account via a remote server before the user is enabled toaccess other websites. With this, a user may purchase a quantity ofsubscription-based access time using a credit card via the remote serverbefore the user is enabled to access other websites. Thesubscription-based access time may be purchased in a definite quantity,or the subscription-based access time may be purchased on a “continueduntil canceled” basis. The credit card billing may performed by anexisting merchant service and the existing merchant service mayreciprocate with other Internet subscription providers nationwide.Optionally, a user's account status is first authenticated by the remoteserver each time the user establishes a connection with the Hotspotbefore the user is enabled to access other websites. With this theauthentication of the user's account is performed by a subscribermerchant service. Alternatively, the method further includes the stepsof operatively coupling at least one wireless transceiver extender unitbetween the satellite dish and the router to extend the range ofInternet access at the rural location.

The method of the first aspect may further include the steps ofoperatively coupling at least one wireless transceiver extender unitbetween the satellite dish and the router to extend the range ofInternet access at the rural location.

It is a second aspect of the present invention to provide a method forproviding satellite-distributed high-speed Internet access that includesthe steps of: providing a router to which a web-ready device may beconnected via at least one of a cable and a wireless data link;assigning a dynamic IP address to the web-ready device that has beenconnected to the router; forwarding by the router of the user'sconnection to a subscriber access unit; retrieving from memory by thesubscriber access unit of the static IP address of a remote server;forwarding the user's connection to a satellite dish; establishingcommunication by the satellite dish with a satellite, which is enabledto send and receive data over the Internet; establishing a connectionover the Internet with the remote server, whose interface is viewed bythe user as a webpage on the web-ready device; prompting by the remoteserver of the user for a username and password; accessing a database bythe remote server to verify the username and password; prompting theuser to create a new account, if the username and password are invalidor the user's account has zero time remaining; charging the user'scredit card, if a new account is created; allowing the user to accessother websites, until the user's account has zero time remaining or theuser logs off the network; and updating the user's account in thedatabase by the remote server to subtract the amount of time used duringthe just-completed session when the user logs off the network. In adetailed embodiment the method further includes the step of installingthe router and the satellite dish in a rural location experiencing arelatively high volume of transient traffic.

It is a third aspect of the present invention to provide an InternetHotspot that includes: a satellite dish installed in a remote locationexperiencing a relatively high volume of transient traffic, and thesatellite dish communicating with the Internet via data link with asatellite; at least one router operatively coupled to the satellite dishand installed in the remote location, where a user may access theInternet at the remote location by establishing a data connection withthe router via a user's web-ready device. In a more detailed embodiment,the data connection is a wireless data connection. In another detailedembodiment, a plurality of users may access the Internet simultaneouslyat the remote location by respectively establishing data connectionswith the router via their web-ready devices. The data connections may bewired and/or wireless connections. The Hotspot may also include asubscriber access unit operatively coupled between the satellite dishand the router and/or at least one wireless extender transceiverwirelessly, operatively coupled between the router and the satellitedish.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention with a cabledrouter providing access to the Hotspot for cabled users.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention with an Ethernetwireless access point (wireless router) providing access to the Hotspotfor wireless users.

FIG. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention with wirelesstransceiver extender units, allowing the access point (Ethernet wirelessaccess point or router) to be located remotely from the remainder of theHotspot apparatus.

FIG. 4 shows an exemplary embodiment of the invention with a Vivatooutdoor switch used as the wireless access point, providing long rangeoperation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides rural “Hotspots” (such as Wi-Fi access,for example) to enable wireless and hardwired, satellite distributedInternet access for anyone with a PC or other web-ready device (wirelessready or cabled) and a valid credit card or prepaid coupon. The“Hotspots” can be located anywhere there is 120 volt electricityavailable, either from an electric utility service or from an on-sitepower source such as a solar panel with a bridged access point, andenough space to house the transceiver and mount a satellite dish. These“Hotspots” would best be located in areas that experience high volumetransient traffic, such as rest area, restaurants, truck stops, ruralhotels, conference centers, motels and state park lodges. Since thesignal is always “live,” all a potential wireless user would have to dois to move within the transceiver's field (an approximately radius of0.2 to 0.4 miles when an amplifier used, in an exemplary embodiment) andturn on his/her wireless ready PC to know the service was available.Alternatively, for those with cabled web-ready devices, signage canannounce the availability of access to internal network ports. Becausethese internal network ports, if available, would always be “live,” alla potential user would have to do is to plug in a web-ready device andlogon. Several transceivers/routers (providing cabled and/or wirelessaccess) can be installed to provide coverage for large or multi-floorsites.

In the exemplary embodiment, when a client attempts to access theInternet, they are routed through the “Subscriber Access Unit.” Thisunit, utilizing radius client, automatically forces the user to firstlogon via satellite through a third party commercial site that housesthe radius server. Internet access is granted upon activation of a validcredit card, or existing valid account. Access time is sold by the hour,day, week, or month, or as a “continued until canceled” subscription,and the validation and billing are done by an existing merchant service.Time purchased is durable until used within the purchased time unit (orone day, if purchased by the hour or day—whichever is less) and creditsand accounts are reciprocal with other subscription providersnation-wide. Invalid credit cards or expired accounts are not permittedbeyond the logon screen. Detailed transaction records are provided bythe existing telecommunications infrastructure.

An exemplary embodiment of the system providing access to cabled usersis shown in FIG. 1. The Hotspot 10 comprises all the equipment installedat the rural location that is necessary to provide Internet access viasatellite 12. The equipment installed at the rural location includes asatellite dish 14 for communicating with the satellite, a subscriberaccess unit 16 operatively coupled to the satellite dish 14 and a router18 operatively coupled to the subscriber access unit 18. As used herein,the term “operatively coupled” refers to any configuration in which twoor more devices interact in any way, by wired or wireless connections.Some or all of the components of the Hotspot 10 may be powered by asolar panel 19. User web-enabled devices, such as PC 20, laptop computer22 and PDA 24 are directly coupled to the router via wired connections(i.e., cables). The user can access the Hotspot using his own web-readydevice to acquire a dynamic IP address from one of many wired jackslocated all over the router 18 using DHCP (Dynamic Host ConfigurationProtocol). The router 18 then forwards the user access to the subscriberaccess unit 16. Each router 18 can allow 254 concurrent users to gainaccess to the Internet.

At a central location 26, a radius server 28 includes a database 30 andmodem 32 operatively coupled thereto. The radius server 28 isoperatively coupled to the Internet 34 through an Internet server 36 andis protected by a firewall 38. The satellite 12 communicates to theradius server over the internet (via another satellite dish andassociated computer—not shown).

The subscriber access unit 16 has the static IP address 36 of the Radiusserver 28 pre-programmed. It then uses Radius client software to sendthe user directly to the satellite dish 14. The user's connection thenpasses to the satellite 12 then through the Internet 34 where, using theRadius server's IP address 36, it finds the Radius server 28. The StaticIP address 36 routes the traffic through the firewall 38.

Upon establishing a user connection to the Radius server 28, the Radiusserver is viewed as a webpage in SSL (Secure Socket Layer) by the user.The user is prompted for a username and password. The Radius server 28uses the database 30 to validate username and password and check thatthe number of minutes left in the user's account is greater than 0. Ifthe user cannot submit a valid username and password for an account thathas more than zero minutes left, the user will be prompted to create anew account. Upon creating an account, the Radius server 28 will chargethe credit card furnished by the user using the modem 32 or Internet 34.

Upon validation by database 30, the user can browse the Internet 34until the minutes are used up or the user is logged off the network.When the user logs off, the database 30 will be updated, subtracting theminutes used during the just-completed session.

Another exemplary embodiment 10′ of the system providing access towireless users is shown in FIG. 2. The basic system architecture andoperation are substantially the same as described above. The maindifference in the wireless access Hotspot of FIG. 2 is that the cabledrouter 18 of FIG. 1 has been replaced by an Ethernet wireless accesspoint or router 40. The user can access the Hotspot using his ownwireless web-ready device, such as a personal digital assistant (PDA)24′, web-enabled cell phone 23′, or laptop computer with wirelessnetwork card 22′ to acquire a dynamic IP address from the Ethernetwireless access point 40 using DHCP (Dynamic Host ConfigurationProtocol). The Ethernet wireless access point 40 then forwards the useraccess to the subscriber access unit 16. Each Ethernet wireless accesspoint 40 can allow 254 concurrent users to gain access to the Internet34. The Ethernet wireless access point 40 can employ a security protocolof a type that is known to persons skilled in the art, such as the802.11b security protocol, or any subsequent or future versions of the802.11 standard. Such security protocols may be generally designated as802.11x, where x can be any version or implementation of the 802.11standard.

From the subscriber access unit 16, a connection is established with theRadius server 28 in the substantially same manner as described above.The Radius server prompts the user to log in and verifies the user'spassword and account status, including the amount of time remaining, insubstantially the same manner as described above.

In another exemplary embodiment 10″, as illustrated in FIG. 3, theEthernet wireless access point 40 may be separated from, and communicatewirelessly with, the subscriber access unit 16. The Ethernet wirelessaccess point 40 is connected by wire to wireless transceiver extenderunit “1” (42). Utilizing a different channel from the Ethernet wirelessaccess point 40, the wireless transceiver extender unit “1” (42)transmits and receives wirelessly to and from wireless transceiverextender unit “2” (44). Wireless transceiver extender unit “2” (44) willrun directly by wire to the subscriber access unit 16. This use ofwireless transceiver extender units 42, 44 allows the Ethernet wirelessaccess point 40 to be placed further away, extending the effective rangeof the hotspot. The wireless transceiver extender units 42, 44 canemploy a security protocol of the 802.11x form, as explained above,where x can be any version or implementation of the 802.11 standard.From the subscriber access unit 16, a connection is established with theRadius server 28 in substantially the same manner as described above.The Radius server 28 prompts the user to log in and verifies the user'spassword and account status, including the amount of time remaining, insubstantially the same manner as described above.

This wireless extension embodiment may also be practiced with a cabledrouter connected to wireless transceiver extender unit “1” (42) in placeof Ethernet wireless access point 40, thus allowing cabled access withthe router located remotely from the subscriber access unit 16.

In the exemplary embodiments 10′ and 10″ of the system shown in FIGS. 2and 3, respectively, the Ethernet wireless access point can beoperatively coupled to an amplifier 46 and antenna 48. The antenna 48can be an omni-directional antenna or a directional antenna such as ayagi antenna. The amplifer in conjunction with the antenna can increasethe DBi gain to 28 to 35 based on the DBi gain for the antenna selected.The total output of the antenna will not exceed the 36 DBi limited bycurrent Federal Communications Commission regulations. Additionalwireless access points or antennas can be added to widen the coveragearea as needed, provided that the wireless beams of overlapping signalcoverage will need to use different channels to prevent interference.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4, the wireless Ethernet access pointcan be replaced with a Vivato® outdoor switch 50 (such as the VP1210available from Vivato, Inc), which includes an amplifier and antenna.The Vivato® outdoor switch features an electronically controlled phasedarray antenna that can be used to create high gain beams of Wi-Fi onthree channels simultaneously. In order to prevent interference, threenonadjacent channels (e.g., channels 1, 6, and 11, as shown in FIG. 4)can be selected from the eleven channels supported by the 802.11xcommunication protocol. This embodiment can provide Wi-Fi access formany kilometers along a line of sight from the antenna, providing threesimultaneous beams of Wi-Fi throughout the coverage area with extendedrange.

Having described the invention with reference to exemplary embodiments,it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims andit not intended that any limitations or elements describing theexemplary embodiment set forth herein are to be incorporated into themeanings of the claims unless such limitations or elements areexplicitly listed in the claims. Likewise, it is to be understood thatit is not necessary to meet any or all of the identified advantages orobjects of the invention disclosed herein in order to fall within thescope of any claims, since the invention is defined by the claims andsince inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention mayexist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.

1. A method for establishing and operating an Internet Hotspotcomprising the steps of: providing a satellite dish communicating withthe Internet via data link with a satellite; providing at least onerouter operatively coupled to the satellite dish; providing a subscriberaccess unit operatively coupled between the satellite dish and therouter; installing the satellite dish, router and subscriber access unitin a rural location, the rural location experiencing a relatively highvolume of transient traffic; connecting a web-ready device to therouter; creating by a user a subscription account, the subscriptionaccount being created on a remote server and enabling the user to accessthe Internet; navigating a browser operating on the web-ready device toa subscriber access website, the subscriber access website being capableof verifying that the subscription account is valid; verifying that thesubscription account is valid via the subscriber access website to allowaccess to the Internet; and allowing a user to access the Internet atthe rural location.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the routerincludes at least one jack to which a web-ready device may be connectedvia a wired connection.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step ofcreating a subscription account includes creating the subscriptionaccount using a prepaid coupon via the remote server.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the step of creating a subscription account includespurchasing by the user a quantity of subscription-based access timeusing a credit card via the remote server.
 5. The method of claim 4,wherein the subscription-based access time may be purchased in adefinite quantity.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein thesubscription-based access time may be purchased on a “continued untilcanceled” basis.
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the credit cardbilling is performed by an existing merchant service.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the existing merchant service is reciprocal with otherInternet subscription providers nationwide.
 9. The method of claim 1,wherein the verifying step is performed by a subscriber merchantservice.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the connecting step includesconnecting the web-ready device to the router via a wireless connection.11. The method of claim 10, wherein a plurality of users cansimultaneously connect web-ready devices to the router.
 12. The methodof claim 10, further comprising the steps of operatively coupling atleast one wireless transceiver extender unit between the satellite dishand the router to extend the range of Internet access at the rurallocation.
 13. The method of claim 1, further comprising an amplifier andantenna operatively coupled to the router.
 14. The method of claim 10,wherein the wireless connection is one of an 802.11a wireless areanetwork, an 802.11b wireless area network, an 802.11g wireless areanetwork, and an 802.11n in wireless area network.
 15. A method forproviding satellite-distributed high-speed Internet access, comprisingthe steps of: providing a router to which a web-ready device may beconnected via at least one of a cable or a wireless data link; assigninga dynamic IP address to the web-ready device that has been connected tothe router; forwarding by the router of the user's connection to asubscriber access unit; retrieving from memory by the subscriber accessunit of the static IP address of a remote server; forwarding the user'sconnection to a satellite dish; establishing communication by thesatellite dish with a satellite, which is enabled to send and receivedata over the Internet; establishing a connection over the Internet withthe remote server, whose interface is viewed by the user as a webpage onthe web-ready device; prompting by the remote server of the user for ausername and password; accessing a database by the remote server toverify the username and password; prompting the user to create a newaccount, if the username and password are invalid or the user's accounthas zero time remaining; allowing the user to access other websites,until the user's account has zero time remaining or the user logs offthe network; and updating the user's account in the database by theremote server to subtract the amount of time used during thejust-completed session, when the user logs off the network.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the interface of the remote server is viewedby the user as a webpage on the web-ready device using Secure SocketLayer encryption.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the user maycreate an account using a prepaid coupon.
 18. The method of claim 15,further comprising, after the step of prompting the user to create a newaccount, if the username and password are invalid or the user's accounthas zero time remaining, the step of: charging the user's credit card,if a new account is created.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein theuser may purchase access time in a definite quantity when creating anaccount.
 20. The method of claim 18, wherein the user may purchaseaccess time on a “continue until canceled” basis when creating anaccount.
 21. The method of claim 18, wherein the charging of the user'scredit card is performed by an existing merchant service.
 22. The methodof claim 21, wherein the existing merchant service is reciprocal withother Internet subscription providers nationwide.
 23. The method ofclaim 18, further comprising the step of installing the router and thesatellite dish in a rural location experiencing a relatively high volumeof transient traffic.
 24. An Internet Hotspot comprising: a satellitedish communicating with the Internet via one or more data links with asatellite; at least one router operatively coupled to the satellitedish; a subscriber access unit operatively coupled between the satellitedish and the at least one router, the subscriber access unit beingcapable of authenticating a subscription account associated with a userprior to allowing the user access to the Internet; and a web-readydevice operatively coupled to the at least one router, the web-readdevice having a browser application operating thereon for accessing theInternet; wherein the satellite dish, at least one router and thesubscriber access unit are located in a remote location a experiencing arelatively high volume of transient traffic; wherein the user mayauthenticate the subscription account and access the Internet at theremote location by establishing a data connection between the web-readydevice and the router.
 25. The Internet Hotspot of claim 24, wherein thedata connection is one of a wired data connection and a wireless dataconnection.
 26. The Internet Hotspot of claim 24, wherein a plurality ofusers may access the Internet simultaneously at the remote location byrespectively establishing data connections with the router via theirweb-ready devices.
 27. The Internet Hotspot of claim 26, wherein thedata connections include wired data connections.
 28. The InternetHotspot of claim 26, wherein the data connections include wireless dataconnections.
 29. The Internet Hotspot of claim 28, further comprising anamplifier and antenna operatively coupled to the router.
 30. TheInternet Hotspot of claim 29, wherein the router is a Vivato outdoorswitch.
 31. The Internet Hotspot of claim 24, further comprising atleast one wireless extender transceiver operatively coupled between thesubscriber access unit and the router.
 32. The Internet Hotspot of claim25, wherein the wireless connection is one of an 802.11a wireless areanetwork, an 802.11b wireless area network, an 802.11g wireless areanetwork, and an 802.11n wireless area network.